video-game-addiction.org: a breeding ground for morons

you know, far be it from me to mock people. it takes a lot of different kinds of folks to make this great big world go around, and it’s not right to judge. let your fellow man just…be. ha ha ha! that was my attempt at being folksy and charming. what actually makes the planet rotate is the sun’s gravitational pull. so much for that ‘mystery’.

however, there is one mystery that has eluded scientists since the dawn of time – why are there so many morons in the world? it starts off innocently enough. the child who eats paste in kindergarten can be given extra attention, or even assigned a monitor. that’s good. he/she may even be given the label of autistic or ADD/ADHD and drugged into oblivion. that’s good too – never underestimate the power of prescription meds, my friends.

but *is* it good, in all seriousness? is extra attention or medication really what people need? in reality, both of those aforementioned factors are detrimental to health. jokes aside, drugging children is not a good thing, and giving out extra attention to one child takes it away from another. plus there’s the impact on the teacher – that whole scenario has to be closely monitored.

in a broader sense, though, it’s exactly this kind of behaviour that provides the foundation for idiocy in adults. in particular, especially the vapid folks at video-game-addiction.org. these alleged parents are taking it upon themselves to spearhead campaigns designed to ‘safeguard’ children from the perils of this world and turn them into proper little automatons. these parents are overreacting. is a child going to turn into a serial killer after playing a game obviously aimed at an older audience? of course not. ultimately, it is about parental responsibility and most parents get that. no retailer will sell a violent game to a minor; it’s illegal and it’s not worth the bad press to make a one-off sale. thusly, we all exactly know where it comes from: most often, the very parents who are supposed to be raising this child.

usually, how it happens is like this: little brat wants game. little brat whines and cries and eventually gets its way, without mommy or daddy doing their due diligence. little brat, unaccustomed to such joy, begins to play the game incessantly. since there is a lack of stimulation at home, little brat turns to the game for everything. one day mommy or daddy go and see what little brat is doing, why little brat is engrossed in a childish pasttime. they are horrified that such violence is in their home! they are also horrified that little brat has eschewed what little family time they have provided. what has the world come to? what kind of evil corporation allows such carnage? clearly there’s nothing left to do than blame the game company. blame video games, rather than bad parenting.

is this right? of course not. my point? idiocy begets idiocy. the morons at video-game-addiction.org want to tell you, parents, that video games are bad for children! that is poppycock. in moderation, it:

helps to fine-tune hand-eye coordination

is an excellent tool to teach critical thinking skills

teaches problem-solving skills

etc

parents, children, educators: stand up and fight. video games are not a bad thing for children. we must not go gently into this good night!